Lead a Truthful Life

If we are following the spiritual path back to God, we need to develop all aspects of truthfulness. By following truthfulness not only will we make progress in our spiritual growth, but we will be a noble example to others who are also searching for the way back to God.

There are many helping factors that will instill in us the quality of truthfulness. First, we need to realize that while we may sometimes hide the truth from others, we cannot hide it from God. God is all-knowing, and God is watching us at all times. We may think that we are too insignificant for such an all-powerful and great God to worry about us, but God is aware of every living thing in creation from the tiniest blade of grass to the large mammals that roam the planet. We cannot escape God’s ever-watchful eye because God is sitting within each living being. If we recognize the truth that God is always with us, then we must realize that no matter what we do, say, or think, no matter if we are able to hide the truth from others, God is aware of all our actions.

Secondly, truthfulness involves being able to be honest about our failings.

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We may disguise our faults from others, but we should not hide them from ourselves. Trying to ignore our failings or make excuses for them is not going to help our spiritual development. If we want to make ourselves fit to enter the kingdom of God, we have to remove our blemishes, for God sees us the way we really are. Once we recognize our failings and admit them to ourselves, we can then work on weeding them out.

We may dress up and try to look nice when we visit a doctor, but we know that when we go to him or her the doctor is interested in our blood pressure, our pulse, and our internal organs and sees beyond our physical appearance. We may look presentable when we go to our school and take exams, but we know that the teacher is interested in our results on the test. Similarly, God wants to make us fit for entry into our true Abode. God is interested in our soul, our true spiritual nature, and wants to help us remove the character traits that prevent us from making spiritual progress. Although we may act polite and courteous or boast about our achievements, God looks beyond that to our true condition.

If we honestly examine ourselves and criticize ourselves as we criticize others, we will find our faults and correct them. This does not mean that we beat up on ourselves or brood and worry. Instead, we should admit freely to ourselves that we have made a mistake, realize that the mistake is part of being human, and then make a plan to change so that we do not repeat the error. We must forgive and forget our own actions once we recognize the mistake and correct it.

The virtue of truthfulness wins the greatest respect from others. It improves our relationships and inspires others to lead a more godly life. If we stick fast to the principle of truthfulness even in the face of those who may try to deceive or manipulate us, we will realize the wisdom in the saying, “Truth always wins in the end.”

So let us resolve to develop the qualities of truthfulness. Let us be honest in all our dealings, earning our livelihood honestly, and recognize our true condition so that we can make those improvements in our life that will bring us closer to God and to our spiritual goals.